“Far From Safe”

at

This morning.

Further to news yesterday that a LIffey Cycle Route will be trialed this Summer.

Cian Ginty, editor of IrishCycle.com, says there are number of problems with the announcement. Namely:

It is non-continuous.

Mixes cyclists with buses and taxis in sections of bus lanes

.People cycling are exposed to left turning cars and trucks at junctions.

It uses narrow and very narrow lanes where demand is already high

Cian writes:

‘People cycling in Dublin already have cycle lanes which end at bus stops and junctions — what the council is calling “interim measures” will continue this and likely make things more dangerous at junctions

Under the council’s ‘interim measures’ for the quays, people cycling will still have to mix with buses at bus stops, mix with buses and taxis in sections of bus lanes, and, at junctions, there will still be conflict with left turning traffic.

Many people are quick to say ‘something is better than nothing’ but that’s not always the case with cycle route design.

There was a similar situation in London a number of years ago, unsafe stop-start segregated cycle paths were installed without dealing with the conflict areas like junctions and bus stops.

The result was that cycle routes looked more attractive, but the conflict remained or worsened and people died. It is senseless for Dublin to be making the same mistakes — there’s too much at stake.

Councillors need to have vision and implement a trial which is continuously segregated along the quays even if this means disrupting cars on the north quays.

Compromising on cycling safety just to maintain the same number of cars on the quays is pointless — cars are already seriously hampering the operation of the bus network and Luas green line, and there’s more buses and more trams on the way.

Something has to give.

Cities all around the world of different sizes — some with fewer public transport options than Dublin — have shown that city centre become better places when you reduce the number of cars. The sky doesn’t fall in.

The opposite is true and cities become more attractive places to live, work and do business in. For the people who need to drive, there would still be ample routes to reach car parks and other locations.’

7 Reasons Not To Support Dublin City’s New Proposals For The Quays (Cian Ginty, irishcycle.com)

Yesterday: Safe Passage

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14 thoughts on ““Far From Safe”

  1. Nilbert

    here follows a predictable comment from a regular cyclist:

    I cycle up the quays regularly. It’s a daily dice with death and I’ve had many near misses, and a couple of knocks.
    without a doubt, the very worst offenders in terms of complete negligence for the safety of cyclists are bus and taxi drivers. I’ve been cycling my current route for about 15 years, so I’m aware of the danger spots, but it terrifies me to see tourists on those communal bikes who have no idea how careless these motorists are.

    This solution is a load of *****x

    1. SB

      Did you not read this bit – PEOPLE DIED:
      “Many people are quick to say ‘something is better than nothing’ but that’s not always the case with cycle route design.There was a similar situation in London a number of years ago, unsafe stop-start segregated cycle paths were installed without dealing with the conflict areas like junctions and bus stops.The result was that cycle routes looked more attractive, but the conflict remained or worsened and people died. It is senseless for Dublin to be making the same mistakes — there’s too much at stake.”

  2. Cian

    From the pictures the cycle lane is separate from the road and on the right-hand-side of the road. So that would suggest that
    – it isn’t mixing cyclists with buses
    – there is no left-hand turning risk (there would be a right-hand turning risk I suppose)

    In two section on the south side it is non-continuous, but the north quays seems to be continuous.
    Granted It uses narrow and very narrow lanes where demand is already high – but it is segregating the bicycle from the busses and cars. Do you want a narrow lane to yourself? or share a (wider) bus-lane with busses and taxis?

    1. Peter

      The trial cycle lane is to be on the left-hand side of the road.

      The images provided are, rather confusingly, of the planned final Liffey Cycle route, which isn’t due for completion until 2024.

  3. Juniperberry

    I took to cycling a number of months back to commute to work. I was sick of watching full buses going past me at the bus stop and could never depend on getting into work at a time that suited me. My journey now takes me at most 30 mins depending on traffic lights (yes – I do stop at them). I cycle eastbound on the north quays into work and westbound on south quays home. This city is shockingly poor for cycle infrastructure and the quays are quite possibly the best example of this but also equally poor in consideration of other road users, be they cyclists, motorists or pedestrians.
    I cringe and tut when cyclists shoot through red lights and am infuriated when a horn is blown at me from behind by taxi drivers in the cycle/bus lane (notice there is no image of a taxi in this lane !!). Motorists coming out of side streets to join traffic blocking the cycle lanes and bus drivers giving punishment passes ‘cos I didn’t cycle far enough to the left curb for their liking.
    As a motorist also, I am now a lot more conscious of cyclists – reality is – they are in a far more vulnerable position than I am driving and so I expect that motorists of all types give me the same consideration – after all they won’t come off the worst if we are to cross paths. Until there is a proper segregated cycle lane in place we need to share the road space in a considerate manner.

    1. Cian

      When you say “the lane is on the river side of the road” Do you mean “the lane is on the river side of the road” just like in the picture?

    1. Spaghetti Hoop

      I’ve often wondered this, when there are safer streets to cycle in the same direction but parallel and to the north of the quays. Dublin city centre is a myriad of streets in a grid-like form, which means that slender vehicles like bikes and scooters are not forced to travel alongside HGVs and wide vehicles.

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